Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual is not only one of the oldest series in the Rolex assortment, but also the first watch with an automatic movement to write watch history. The Oyster Perpetual Date is a version with date display featuring the famous Cyclops magnifying glass.

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The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date is considered a classic, unpretentious watch. The sleek, no-frills design is equally popular with men and women. The "Oyster Perpetual Date" logo affixed to each model guarantees water and dust tightness as well as automatic movement, while at the same time indicating the practical date function. It belongs to the cheaper watches from Rolex and is therefore perfect for beginners.

Depending on the installed caliber, the date function works with "instantaneous" or "progressive" date switch - first is a fast-jumping the second a slower “creeping” date change. All modern Rolex calibers have now an instant-jumping date shift - that is exactly at midnight. The date changes within a few milliseconds. Depending on the installed caliber, the Oyster Perpetual Date has also been equipped since 1978 with quick changing date. This allows a comfortable setting of the date, without having to adjust the pointers themselves. This feature is particularly useful if the month has less than 31 days and the date must be corrected at the end of the month. Basically the watches with a four-digits reference do not have an instant date change, five- and six-digit references, have a quick adjustment of the date.

The simple wristwatch, which also resembles to its Rolex sister the "Datejust", is available with a classic three piece link Oyster bracelet. Older models are sometimes equipped with leather strap. There is also a choice of materials for the watch itself: There are Rolesor variants in stainless steel with bezels in yellow and white gold, as well as models made entirely of stainless steel or yellow gold. Unlike the Rolex Datejust, the Oyster Perpetual Date has a slightly smaller case of 34mm. Also the dial is a little smaller. In models since 1988/89, the caliber 3135 is installed and the watches are equipped with scratch-resistant sapphire crystal.

The story of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual

The Rolex Oyster introduced the world's first waterproof watch in 1926. The 1931 patent pending on a permanent automatic winding system was followed two years later by the successful Rolex Oyster Perpetual series, which was equipped with the same automatic movement. Today, the then revolutionary movement is installed in every automatic watch.
The functional wrist watch set another historic milestone only a short time later. On the first flyover of Mount Everest - an expedition that until then was considered impossible - it wrote history on the wrists of the pilots.

Since then, the design of the iconic watch has just changed slightly. The material has been refined over the years, making the watch even more tough and robust. With the Oyster Perpetual Date Rolex successfully established a version with a handy date display.

The Oyster Perpetual Date remained true to the original design, but was also subject to some changes. So it was equipped in the year 1982 with the caliber 3035 and six years later already with the caliber 3135 which is built in until today. Also the today all models to own sapphire glass was introduced this year. Since 2007, the Perpetual Date models also have a new, extra-sturdy case and especially massive bracelets.

Rolex: The watch of the superstars

Rolex stands for high functionality and sturdiness, but also for unique design and noble materials. It's no wonder that the most famous Rolex wearer is the fictional action hero James Bond. Several models had to go through daredevil adventures on the wrist of the secret agent and have been on the big screen for decades. In Ian Fleming's "On Her Majesty's Secret Service", the Rolex Oyster Perpetual is even explicitly mentioned as “The Secret Agent's Watch”.

But even in real life Rolex thrilled many stars. A famous Rolex wearer is Paul Newman and Brad Pitt is a self-confessed fan of the luxury brand. Of course, Rolex also convinces the ladies: athletes like Ana Ivanovic and Zheng Jie, but also superstars like Jennifer Aniston and Rihanna wear different models of the Swiss watch house.

Models of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date is available in various designs. Since this series belongs to the low-cost watches of Rolex, it is ideally suited for beginners. Here are some Oyster Perpetual Date models at a glance:

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 15000 is completely made of stainless steel and waterproof up to 100m. The white dial is provided with Roman numerals.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 115234 has a stainless steel bracelet and a white gold bezel. The housing is made of stainless steel. Also this version is waterproof up to 100m. Its dial is black.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual ref. 15200 is a model made of stainless steel with a white dial, which is provided with stick indices.

The model 15505 of the Rolex Oyster Perpetual has a gold plated bracelet and case. The champagne-colored dial is provided with bar indices.

The Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date 15223 comes with a stainless steel and yellow gold case and a leather strap. The dial has stick indexes and is available in both champagne and silver versions.

More Rolex series

A watch for adventurers: the Rolex Explorer. Dedicated to the first ascent of Mount Everest, it radiates extreme functionality and reliability.

The Rolex Daytona, which owes its name to the famous car race on the Daytona International Speedway, comes with a handy tachymeter bezel. Highly functional and extremely sporty - this is the best way to describe this watch.

The Rolex Submariner is the watch more associated with secret agent James Bond than any other. Easily it insists on every adventure on the movie screen, always complementing the hero's elegant outfits with flying colors.

The Rolex Milgauss can withstand magnetic fields up to 1000 Gauss without any problems in accuracy. Iconicallyis its second hand: an orange bolt.

With the Cellini series, Rolex has established a classically elegant men's watch collection in the market. Primarily the watches of this line are available in high-quality precious metals such as yellow and white gold.